Tipping Sleeping Car attendants

[NativeSon5859]

Forgive me if this has been asked a lot, but since i've never taken a trip in a sleeping car before, I need to ask: What is the general policy for tipping the sleeping car attendants? I'm going to try to get a sleeper on #1 on Tuesday, so I want to make sure I have the appropriate amount of $$ for the car attendant, etc.

Is it best to leave the tip as you get off the train at your final destination?

Thanks for the help, I just want to make sure that he/she will be compensated properly for the service.

Steve/NOL

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

About $5 per night with average service and hand it to them as you step off the train---that is how I do it. And I have gone way above that when the service justified it and given nothing on a few rare instances.

 

[AlanB]

Is it best to leave the tip as you get off the train at your final destination?

As Bill mentioned make sure that you hand it to the attendant. Don't just leave it in the room as it might disapear. Worse if the attendant doesn't notice it, then the car cleaner will get it.

Five bucks as Bill suggested, is also a good rule of thumb.

 

[battalion51]

I usually leave $10 since it's usually my Mom and I travelling in a sleeper. I'd say $5 per person per night. If the attendant goes above and beyond the call of duty, obviously use some common sense and increase as you see fit.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

I usually leave $10 since it's usually my Mom and I travelling in a sleeper. I'd say $5 per person per night. If the attendant goes above and beyond the call of duty, obviously use some common sense and increase as you see fit.

I agree with that, I actually meant $5 per person but did not spell it out that way as I am used to traveling alone. .

 

[pismobum]

WHY?!?!?

If your sleeper attendant goes out of the way for you (brings you meals, etc), you are getting 'extra service' and a toip is probably justified, but if you are the norm and merely have the bunks made up/down, what's the reason for a tip?

EXAMPLE: Stay 2 nights at a roadside motel. Maid service makes up the room each day, and maid most likely gets minumum wage or close to it. Do you tip $5 per person per day for the maid? If so, then YES, tip the attendant the same. If NOT, then why no tip for a minimum wage worker and a tip for a fully paid UNION person with full fringe benefits????

 

[battalion51]

You're forgetting one thing though, you're in First Class, not coach. As a First Class passenger you are expected to treat your attendant as you would in First Class on an airline. You leave a tip, it's only proper.

 

[AlanB]

Not to mention that while most people don't tip the maid in their room, it is actually considered proper etiquette to tip them. Sadly most people no longer follow that rule, except perhaps in pricier hotels or hotels that actually leave envelopes in the room to remind people to leave a tip.

Additionally if you go on a cruise ship, the steward there doesn't usually bring you your meals. But trust me he/she expects a nice tip at the end of the cruise.

 

[battalion51]

Not to mention that while most people don't tip the maid in their room, it is actually considered proper etiquette to tip them. Sadly most people no longer follow that rule

I always try to remember to leave a couple bucks on one of the beds when I stay at a hotel. I always make myself leave money when I'm on a Field Trip because most kids trash their rooms on the trip (I'm not one of them, I'm actually civilized).

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

I generally leave $10, however, I have left a tip as big as $20 when I thought the help was exceptional.

 

[Viewliner]

I generally leave $10, however, I have left a tip as big as $20 when I thought the help was exceptional.

Yeah, I do about the same, traveling usually with my mother and younger brother. Generally its a 20 at the end of the trip, plus a buck or two after each meal in the diner, but that can fluctuate depending on the level of service.

 

[pismobum]

(a) - dunno what airline you fly, but tips to airline flight attendants/cabin stewards are not only not EXPECTED, they are actually DISCOURAGED. (And your sleeper attendant probably makes a better salary than your flight attendant).

(B) - you normally get MUCH more service from your cabin attendant on a cruise line than you will get from a sleeper attendant, the ship steward probably makes NO (or very minimal) salary (advantage of non-US registry), and the "going" rate for ship tips nowadays is $10 per person per day (they add it to your shipboard account automatically although you can increase or decrease it as you wish) and that $10 covers waiter, busboy, AND room steward.

Repeating, IF you tip hotel/motel room cleaners, then tip to sleeper attendant is probably what you should do - otherwise you should probably only tip for EXTRA services.

 

[tp49]

You're forgetting one thing though, you're in First Class, not coach. As a First Class passenger you are expected to treat your attendant as you would in First Class on an airline. You leave a tip, it's only proper.

Now wait a minute, you mean the next time I get bumped up to First Class on a flight I am supposed to tip the flight attendants just because it's first class and not coach? What's next tipping the salesman next time I have to buy a suit? Where does it end? I can see tipping the waiter or a barber or the shoe shiner or paperboy, but in this instance I agree with pismobum.

I would definitely tip well for better than average service but a tip is a reward for good service and not just some added surcharge or tax.

 

[battalion51]

OK maybe I overstepped it a little. But IMHO, a tip should be given to a sleeping car attendant.

 

[SeanFL1965]

I have tipped most Attendents and most other employees on Amtrak that have offered services that desreved it. I had a sleeping car attendent who was basically no where to be found most of the trip, left the shower filled with used towels and bed linens and was not there when I departed so I did not even have to consider tiping for no help was given when I depart the train. (Just for the record it was early evening).

I would suggest if you depart the train between midnight and 6 am tip your attendent appropriately before you go to bed for the night - They have to sleep sometime.

For the most part I agree with $5 per night per person for good service and more for better and execptional. Less or nothing for bad.

I have found that most of the attendents are pretty good people to deal with and the majority do offer good to exceptional service.

I would also suggest tip your dining car and lounge car personell as you would in any local restraunt or night club even if your meal is a part of your fare.

If you recieved very good or very bad service let Amtrak know. If it was good service maybe there will be some compensation in his paycheck come review time. If it was bad Amtrak may give you some type compensation.

Just one mans opinion.

 

[battalion51]

Usually in the lounge I'll just leave whatever coins I get back in the cup/dish that's out. Diner really depends on how quickly they get to me and whether I know the LSA or not. :lol:

 

[Anthony]

Usually in the lounge I'll just leave whatever coins I get back in the cup/dish that's out.

Exactly what I do. If the guy wasn't particularly helpful, I'll keep the coins of higher value and unload the ones I don't want (pennies/nickels) :lol:

 

[tp49]

In the lounge I usually tip if I am procuring an alcoholic beverage as I would in a bar but I would only tip for anything else in the lounge if the service was truly exceptional.

 

[battalion51]

Well it's hard to say that there's really any "service" to speak of in the lounge. The one thing I've noticed that makes the biggest difference is the bartenders attitude. One of my favorite LSA's tlaks to his cutomers, makes jokes, etc., this is what makes him one of the top selling LSA's in Miami. On the revenue reports that are submitted there are three boxes to check for your thousands digit, 0, 1, or 2. Let's just say there have been times when his sales haven't been able to be checked in one of those boxes.

 

[bradkansas]

Most of the lounge car snack counter attendants in my experience act as if they'd rather be somewhere else and I can't say I blame them. But often they don't bother to give friendly service, just hand you what you ordered, that is when they bother to open the snack bar. Some of them take lots of breaks. I don't see any reason to tip even if s/he is friendly. I don't tip other store clerks or the kid at the concession stand at the movies. I know the argument can be presented the attendant doesn't get much salary (I don't know if that's true or not) but if so it's not my fault. Dining car I tip as if in a restaurant (15-20%) for average and above service, less for less. Sometimes if I am lucky to get a really good waiter, i'll ask to be seated at one of his/er tables and tip at the last meal of my trip. Be sure to tell the server that's your plan at the beginning so sh/he doesn't think you're a stiff. Sleeper attendant gets $10/night if I receive typical friendly (not begrudging) service and the area is kept clean, especially the bathrooms. I've never known quite what to do about coach car attendants. Generally, I tip if I make some requests, the attendant pauses occassionally to check if I need anything, or even if only the bathrooms are kept clean. It's not that I'm obsessive regarding bathroom cleanliness but, as most of you, I've seen feces loaded, filthy, gag provoking coach car bathrooms enough to believe it's the norm. Thus, I reward the coach attendant with a gratuity and a thanks.

 

[battalion51]

Actually Brad, believe it or not LSA's in the Diner and Lounge make the same amount of money per hour. Now granted you don't leave a $3.00 tip in the lounge like you would in the Diner, but if each customers leaves a quarter he'll make about the same amount in tips as the Diner (if you figure a minimum of 1000 transactions on an overnight trip), sometimes even more than the Diner guys, since the Diner has to split tips at least 4 ways (sometimes even 5 or 6).

 

[bradkansas]

Batt51, A minimum of 1000 transactions/night? Yipes!!! $250.00 a shift and they don't split as do the waiters. Darn , that's good money for being bored all day. I may not recall correctly, but if the lounge is open from 0700 to 2300 with an hour break for each meal, plus several other breaks throughout the day ( +/- 90min.), they "work" about 11-12 hours they might make about $21.00/hr. plus salary! What does the acronym "LSA" mean, "lounge ________ attendant"? Brad

 

[Amfleet]

Batt51, A minimum of 1000 transactions/night? Yipes!!! $250.00 a shift and they don't split as do the waiters. Darn , that's good money for being bored all day. I may not recall correctly, but if the lounge is open from 0700 to 2300 with an hour break for each meal, plus several other breaks throughout the day ( +/- 90min.), they "work" about 11-12 hours they might make about $21.00/hr. plus salary! What does the acronym "LSA" mean, "lounge ________ attendant"? Brad

LSA stands for "Lead Service Attendant". There's one for the Lounge (whom performs all duties) and then one in the Dining Car.

 

[bradkansas]

Pismobum, You've got me rethinking my tipping attitude toward sleeper attendants. I never thought of him/er as a full salaried, benefited, great retirement packaged, employee. I've thought of them the same as h/motel room cleaners (whom I occassisonally tip) clearly they're not. I wonder if we would tip the sleeping car attendant at the end of the trip if we did not see him/her as we don't see the h/motel folks? Maybe we should think more about tipping the m/hotel person because of the income difference. Or, do we tip for service regardless. Interesting dilema.

 

[battalion51]

Batt51, A minimum of 1000 transactions/night?  Yipes!!! $250.00 a shift and they don't split as do the waiters. Darn , that's good money for being bored all day.  I may not recall correctly, but if the lounge is open from 0700 to 2300 with an hour break for each meal, plus several other breaks throughout the day ( +/- 90min.), they "work" about 11-12 hours they might make about  $21.00/hr. plus salary!

Brad, I think you might be mistaken about the pay rates of these guys. They aren't on salary, but they do have what's called a "guarantee." The average salary employee works 160 hours a month (40 hours/week x 4 weeks in a month). These guys are expected to work 170 hours a month "due to late trains." So by contract they have to be paid for at least 170 hours in a month. Anything over that counts as overtime (which is paid at a rate of time and a half). I believe starting pay for an LSA is 17.50/hour, which increases with seniority of course. So anything up to 170 hours in a month is money you would've made anyway. The lounge is supposed to be open from 0600-2300, plus hlaf hour clean up/set up time on either side, so in reality he "works" from 0530-2330. They are allowed 2 half hour breaks a day (which is now enforced by the cash registers), and that's it. For the record I was mistaken when I said 1000 transactions (I was a little tired last night thanks to the SAT's), it's probably more like 400-450 transactions (an average trip of $1000 in sales divided by an average price of 2.50). Which is more like $100 if everyone tips a quarter. Now here's my big thing, these guys are on there feet for 17 hours a day, I give them credit for doing what they're doing, and for the most part having a good attitude.